The present invention relates to improved steam boilers. More particularly, it relates to improved steam boilers of the electrode type in which electrodes are located in a steam generating compartment structure surrounded by a control compartment.
In typical prior art boilers, the electrodes are partially submerged in water and the amount of steam generation is controlled by varying the amount of electrode submersion. In such boilers, the water is heated and steam generated by the passage of an electric current through the water.
Make-up water must be added to the system periodically. It has been found that, in many areas, the mineral content of the available water supply is too high for efficient operation of such electrode boilers, particularly such boilers which utilize high supply voltages and high voltage to wattage ratios. For instance, such a boiler operated at 12 KV and with a rating of 1.5 MW is likely to be in such a class. In the past, operation of such boilers required the use of expensive demineralization equipment in order to reduce the mineral content of the supply water to the optimum range for boiler operation.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved electrode boiler which will operate efficiently with relatively high conductivity water.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved electrode boiler in which the electrodes are formed by jets of water.